Interlibrary loans

• Interlibrary loan request
• Interlibrary service contact information
• Fees for interlibrary loans
• Interlibrary loans of Russian Library

Interlibrary service is a process of sharing resources between libraries. Interlibrary loans open the resources of the complete library network for you. If the material you need is not acquired in Helmet libraries or in the scientific or special libraries in the Metropolitan area, you can request it as an interlibrary loan from elsewhere.

You can request books, sound recordings, movies, sheet music and microfilms as interlibrary loans. Volumes of periodicals are usually not sent as interlibrary loans. Instead, photocopies of articles from the periodicals can be requested. A book or other material belonging to the collections of some library in the Metropolitan area cannot be requested as an interlibrary loan, even if it is on loan at the moment. If the item you are looking for is on loan, you have to make an ordinary reservation. Interlibrary loans are not meant to bypass local reservations.

You are able to request an interlibrary loan if you have a Helmet library card and your user rights are valid. You can make the request on the interlibrary loan request form or at the nearest library. Remember to return your loans on time, otherwise you may risk losing your borrowing rights. 

By placing an interlibrary loan request you agree to pay the interlibrary loan fee (cf. interlibrary loan fees). Ordered materials are send to your chosen Helmet library if possible. Interlibrary loans are always subject to the loan periods and other user rules set by the owning library. Some materials are not sent as interlibrary loans, and some are only to be used in the reading rooms of the receiving library.

Coursebooks are not easily accessible and most university libraries only lend them to their own students. Therefore, please mention at the bottom of the request form where you study.

So far it is not possible to see your interlibrary loans in Your record at Helmet web library and you cannot renew them as self-service. Please request for renewals by email. You can find contact information to the interlibrary loan services here.